Indoor portable scaffold



Dec.1,1936. E H, NQRTON 2,062,473

- INDOOR PORTABLE SCAFFOLD Filed Jan. 21, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheetl 2 lINVENTOR fw d4/W.

Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED@STATES;

PATENT- oFrlcE- This invention relates to improvements in scaffolds,`and is especially designed for use in indoor work, and --to provide-'aplatform, whichl may be i extended horizontally, and supporting legs,which maybe-extended vertically, whereby the platform l may be adaptedfor supportingworkmenai dif-,- ferent elevations.v

Another object ofthe invention is the provision of vascaifold of thistype, having improved slidpeeing interlockingconnections .betweenthe-frame members whichsupportjtheplatform;

A still'furtherobject of theinvention is the provision .of a scaffoldhaving. an. extensible top or platform, and vertically adjustablev legs.con-- 1.; structed to fold under the platform, to make the entire deviceeasily portable from place to place. With the above and other objectsinf view, the invention relates to -certain new and usefulconstructions, combinations, and arrangements of 20 parts, clearlydescribed in the following specification, and fully illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side view, showing the scaffold in upright, open position.:5 Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof. Fig. 4 is a side view, showing the scaoldin folded position.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on 'zo line 5-5 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 6 5 of Fig. 2,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a detail side view of a folding brace and the related parts.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view, taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 1,. lookingin the direction of the arrows.

4o Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line S-B of Fig. l andshowing a top plan view of a pinion shaft and leg operating crankhandle.

Fig. 10 isa detail sectional view, taken on line .l IU--I of Fig. 12,looking in the direction of the 45 arrows.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on line II--II of Fig.12.

Fig. 12 shows a fragmentary detail of the plat- K form, including asection joint.

cn l

ff 0.- Referring to the accompanying drawings, illusdisposed in parallelrelation, and spaced laterally from each other. The inner side of thebar or member 'I is equipped with a metal runner 9, 60 which isdovetailed in cross section, and the inner side of the bar or member 3is equipped. with a similar-metalrunner Ill, .of similar shape.'

'I'heleftplatform section is equipped with parallel bars or members IIand I2, which are bolted or otherwise fixed thereto. The inember or bar5 I-Lisequipped with a metal runner I3, of dovetailed constructiomandthe member or bar I2 is y equipped with a similar metal runner I4,of'dovetailed construction.-

' A metal or otherrunner or slide'IS is arranged 1o" to work'betweenthe. metalrunners 9. and I0, and thsmetal runner or'V slide4Huis-formedwithdovetailedlongitudinal groves I6 and II, formed in the:opposite sides thereof, .which .receive the dovetailed runners 9 andIll. A'stop I8 is pro- 15 vided for limiting the longitudinal playbetween the slide I5 and the runners 9 and I0'. 'I'he metal slide orrunner I5 is connected to one end of the cross bar or plate I9, and theother end of this bar or plate is connected to the metal slide or runner2II, which is formed with dovetailed grooves 2| and 22, on the oppositesides thereof, which receive the dovetailed runners I3 and I4.

The cross bar or plate is provided with a supporting leg, which includesthe upper section 23,

and the lower sction 24. The upper leg section is formed with a verticalslot 25 and the lower leg section is formed with a series of verticallyspaced holes 26, each onevof whichis adapted to receive the bolt 21, bymeans of which various vertical adjustments may be obtained. The two legsections are clamped against relative movement by means of the thumb nut28, and the leg sections are held against accidental sliding by means ofthe corrugated meeting faces, not shown, formed on the engaging sides ofthe two leg sections. 'Ihe lower end of the leg section 24 is equippedwith a floor pad 39. The upper end of the leg section 23 may be foldedagainst the bottom side of the platform, by loosening the pivot clampingbolt 3I.

The outer'end of the platform section 5 is equipped with upper legmembers 32 and 33, which are pivotally connected to the outer ends ofthe platform section. Brace members 34 con- 45 nected by pivot bolts 35to the leg members 32 and 33, are constructed with side edge openingslots 34a, which are designed to hook on the clamping bolts36, and areclamped in place by means of the winged nuts 31, threaded on the ends ofthe bolts 36. The leg members 32 and 33 are provided with extensionmembers 38, which are adjustable thereon, by means of the clamping bolts39 and nuts 40. To assist in simultaneousl ly adjusting the leg membersor extensions 38, and

38a, a gear 4I is arranged on the cross end shaft 42 to engage theextension 38, and this shaft is operated by means of the folding crankhandle 43. A ladder, comprising the upper section 44 and the lowerextension section 45, is arranged on one end of the platform, invertical position, so that when the platform is elevated the ladder canbe extended, to make it easy for a workman to climb onto the platform,and to leave it with safety.

By pulling the end sections of the platform outwardly the end supportinglegs will be moved in opposite( direction from each other, and a spacewill be provided between the inner edges of the right platform sectionandthe inner edges of the left platform section. 'Ihis space isv filledby means of the leaf or board inserts 46 and 41, which have theirmeeting edges formedwith tongue and grooves 48, and their ends equippedwith metal tongues or interlocking elements 49, which are vdesigned tofit in corresponding sockets formed in the associated parts of theplatform, or in the leaf members themselves.

In sliding the platform sections outwardly the intermediate metal slidesor runners bridge the other runners or slides, and thus slidably connectthe right and left platform sections to each other. v

In order to support the leg members against lateral displacement, bottomcross brace bars are used. One of these, attached to the verticalsections of one of the wheeled legs by plates and rivets, as shown, isillustrated at 50 in Fig. 3, and the construction of the other wheeledleg is similar. A top cross bar 5I is also shown in said Fig. 3 and tothese cross bars the bottom and top J ends of the ladder sections areriveted, also as The length of the platform may be increased ordiminished over the combined lengths of the platfon sections, when intheir extended positions, by means of the folding platform section 53,which is hinged on the left platform section to fold against its upperside. This hingedV platform section is equipped with folding legs 54,which are supported by the folding braces 55, and the legs 54 consist ofupper leg sections 56 and the lower leg sections 5l, which are suitablybolted to each other in their adjusted relation.

By providing sliding casters on the lower leg sections, the platform maybe readily shifted from one place to another, in itsassembled condition.

I claim as newz- 1. A scaffold comprising an elongate platform having anend extension, hinge means connecting the platform and its extension,-said means having a top joint, vertical legs for the ends of theplatform, an outer end leg for the extension, pivot means connecting thetop of the outer leg and the extension, and a detachable brace for saidextension and its associated leg, so that when the brace is detached theouter leg may be swung into augment with the extension, the latter beingthen swingable, together with its leg, onto the top of the platform.

2. A scaffold according to claim l, wherein the legs of the mainplatform are foldable, the folded the platform.

3. A scaffold comprising in combination an elongated platform having atthe opposite ends thereof supporting legs, rotary -ground engaging meanson said legs wherebyto move the scanold; an auxiliary centrally disposedsupporting leg including a top section, and a'bottom section vertical tothe first section and movable thereon, said bottom section havingthereon a holding foot, whereby the latter may beraised from the groundbefore the platform is moved.

4. A foldable scaffold including in combination an elongate foot boardhaving vertically disposed inwardly swingable end legs, `eaxzh of saidlegs including a pair of laterally spaced members, means detachablyholding said legs in the vertical position, and an endwlse swingable legdisposed below the center of the footboard and having relatively narrowlateral dimensions, whereby the central leg may b., swung between two ofsaid members to fold the scaffold. j

5. A foldable scaffold comprising in combination an elongate footboard,legs supporting the ends of the footboard arid each including laterallyspaced swingable members, each pair of said members having rotaryelements on the lower ends thereof; pivot means connecting the top partsof the respective members with said ends; detachable braces connectingsaid parts and said ends; intermediate pivot means carried by the bottomface of the footboard, an intermediate vertically disposed swingable leghaving its top end pivotally mounted on the second mentioned means, saidintermediate leg including two vertically adjustable sections and havinglateral dimensions less than the space between the associated members,and a base pad on the lower end of the intermediate leg; whereby whenthe braces are detached the end legs may be swung inwardly to fold thescaffold, said intermediate leg being swingable in the direction of oneof the end legs and between the spaced membersh thereof.

6. A scaffold comprising in combination an elongate footboard havingpivotally mounted on its opposite ends vertically disposed inwardlyswingable supporting legs including top and bottom contractile sections;a ladder having top and bottom coacting portions, means attaching saidportions to associated members of said sections, and means forcontracting said sections, so that said legs and the ladder may be swunginwardly.

7. The combination with a scaffold having an elongate footboardandsupporting legs at its opposite ends, said legs having castors ontheir lower ends so as to render the scaffold movable; of a centrallydisposed auxiliary supporting leg, and a ground pad on the lower end ofthe central leg whereby to normally secure the scaffold againstmovement.

8. The combination with a scaffold having an elongated footboard andsupporting end legs therefor, said legs having castors on their lowerends so as to render the scaffold movable; of a centrally disposedauxiliary leg includinga top sectionna. bottom section adjustablymounted on whereby to normally, hold the scaffold against movement, andmeans for holding said sections in an adjusted position.

ll'REDRICK H. NORTON.

